Bright Planet/Star to the south

[zerovision]

Sorry if this is not camera related, but I like to view the night sky with my daughters $100 telescope occassionally, but I am not sure what the bright object to the south/southwest is from my house in dallas, tx.

I know it's not Venus because the little info I found on the web says Venus is lower left of the moon just after sunset.

Tonight the moon had already set and the bright planet or star was still visible. I would say 15-20 degrees above the horizon. I thought that maybe is was Mars, but I could not confirm it via web.

Anyone know?

[akillez]

The planet you can see is Jupiter. Depending on the telescope you are using you may be able to make out some of its moons aswell.

[zerovision]

When I use a telescope, Saturn and Jupiter are at a 90 degree angle from the horizon. I have seen them with my telescope, but this is lower in the sky and I am only looking at it with the naked eye.

[Nighthound]

If what you were seeing is in the southwest(actually not too far from due west) just after the Moon set on the evening of Sept. 1, then it was indeed Venus just barely above the horizon. Jupiter would be about 30 degrees up from the horizon, due south at that time and have a slight yellowish cast to it. Venus is much whiter in color.

[Marnault]

For you location, this could pretty much only be Jupiter. Last night Venus was very close to the moon, so if the moon was set you wouldn't see Venus, or it would be very close to the horizon. At this time Jupiter would be in the South moving towards the west, it would be the brightest object in the sky, so unless the object you are talking about wasn't the brightest thing in the sky, it was Jupiter.

[hawkeye60]

For anyone interested in astronomy, Stellerium is free program.

http://www.stellarium.org/